Real Talent
by TearStainedAshes
Summary: Casey is an up-and-coming guitarist and gets her chance to shine when her favorite band, Real Talent, chooses her to replace their lead guitarist. She forms a bond with the lead singer, Rick, and has many adventures along the way: loss, love, and rock.
1. Chapter 1

**This was something I started nearly 4 years ago (January 8 is the anniversary, and yes, I remember the date because I wrote it down) and now feel comfortable enough to share it on here. I hope you all like it!**

**Love,**

**TSA**

**All Guitar Hero characters and references belong to their respectable creators/owners, but the name Rick Tenor, Jim Kreth, and Ryan Prower are mine!  
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><p>Chapter 1 – This is the Beginning<p>

~ Casey

"Come on! We're going to be late!" Judy shouted.

"Yeah! We don't want to miss the first gig!" Eddie shouted in agreement.

"I'm pedaling as fast as I can!" I panted, still falling behind. "It's not easy riding a bike in heels ya know!" I know. I'm insane for wearing heels while riding a bike, but I wanted to look my best today. I was about to see the guy of my dreams and I needed to stand out. I decided not to wear a band tee like Judy and Eddie, but instead to wear my favorite studded, purple tank top to show off my arms; my favorite light-wash flare jeans that made my butt look fantastic; and, of course, my studded bracelets and belt. Add a pair of purple plaid three-inch heels into the mix and you've got yourself a rockin' rocker outfit.

"Well then, don't wear heels the next time you ride your bike!" Judy teased. "It's as simple as that."

"Easy for you to say! You don't own a single pair of heels!"

"And proud of it!" she smiled.

"Will you girls stop bickering and focus on getting to the Bash on time?" Eddie asked.

"Whatever you say, Eddie," Judy crooned.

"Judy and Eddie, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" I sang loudly.

"Oh, shut up Casey!" Eddie shouted.

"'Whatever you say, Eddie,'" I said, mimicking Judy. "And for God's sake, would you please drop the lovey-dovey act when I'm the only person around? I know you guys are faking this romance for Eddie's sake, but please, just act normal when there are no witnesses other than myself around."

"Oh, whatever!" they sighed in unison.

Judy, Eddie, and I were biking to a Backyard Bash to see the greatest band ever! Well, according to us anyway. Real Talent is a band started by four very talented young men—Rick Tenor, Jim Kreth, Ryan Prower, and Axel Steel—when they were still in high school. They made it big shortly after they graduated and had dropped their first album before Christmas that same year. Judy got it for me and we listened to it the second after I opened it. On the very first song, as soon as I heard Axel's opening solo and Rick's amazing voice, I was hooked. There was so much emotion put into their songs: pain, sorrow, pleasure, longing, even greed and anger. It was as if these boys were telling us about their whole lives the only way they knew how: through their music. I could feel the pain in Rick's voice as he sang about heartbreak, his anger at being betrayed, and his joy at finding love. I could relate to so many of the songs on such a deep, emotional level that I quickly knew them all by heart and fell in love with Rick (and the band, too). I even taught myself to play all of their songs on guitar, which sounds a lot easier than it actually is. I spent years memorizing their songs and unique guitar riffs, but it all paid off in the end. I was able to record my own versions of their songs, post them on YouTube, and even gain some recognition from my hometown, the YouTube universe, and even the band itself!

Real Talent was throwing a tour specifically for the venues that gave them their big break. It was a reminiscence tour of sorts and the name of the tour was "Before We Were Famous: Back to the Beginning." They started at their high school in Venice, Florida as the musical guest at their Senior Prom. Now they've come to Arcadia at 22 Arcadia Avenue where they got their first official gig. I found out about the tour on their official website, so I told Judy, who told Eddie. I bought the tickets and started planning my outfit months in advance.

"Wait up you guys!" I shouted as I started to pedal faster. "You know how much I love this band! You know how much I love Rick!"

"We know!" Judy said when I finally caught up. "I mean, come on! Do you actually think you'll ever hit it off with that guy?"

"It doesn't hurt to dream," I replied with a smile. Little did I know that my dream was about to come true.

**…::-::…**

~ Rick

When the band first started, everyone thought nothing would ever separate us. We'd been best friends since middle school, formed our band our freshman year in high school, and made it big shortly after our senior year. Our lives seemed to be perfect and we felt like nothing would bring us down. We'd performed at the Warped Tour, our first album had gone platinum within the first three months of its release, and we'd even been asked to appear on Saturday Night Live (to which we oh so humbly complied). It wasn't until that one fateful day while on our "Before We Were Famous" tour. We were giving back to the people who'd given us our big break: our high school, the small town of Arcadia for holding a Backyard Bash, Mitch's Moose Lounge in Sarasota, Bradenton Bar in Bradenton (no duh), and an outdoor amphitheatre in St. Petersburg. But it was backstage at the Backyard Bash in Arcadia that changed everything.

We'd all been reading the signs. Axel was turning into a jackass, claiming that he wasn't making enough money, that he was more popular than Slash and Van Halen, and that we wouldn't be famous if it wasn't for him and his guitar playing. He'd throw fits in the dressing room if his hair wasn't just right, if his trademark jean jacket wasn't cleaned and/or pressed at least thirty minutes before we were supposed to perform, and he was starting to care more about the money than the music and fans. We'd all had just about enough of his bullshit and so I decided to confront him about it while our opening act, The All-American Rejects, was still performing. I found him lounging on one of the couches backstage surrounded by our female groupies, taking pleasure in their admiration, lust, and overall desires of wanting to be with him.

"Axel, we need to talk."

He gave the girls a simple glance and they skittered away, giggling. He gave me another look, signaling me to continue.

"OK, I know I shouldn't be doing this right before a show, but we really need to talk about your stuck-up attitude and all the bullshit you've been pulling."

"Excuse me?"

"Like I said, I shouldn't bring this up before a show, but the rest of us have noticed that you've been a lot more demanding lately. You keep asking for more money when you already make more than me, Jim, and Ryan combined. We're beginning to think that you care more about the money than you do the music or fans."

"Okay. And?"

"Really? That's all you have to say? I'm trying to be serious here, Axel. Our manager set up this tour to help us get back down to Earth. I think this has only made your ego larger."

"Is this the same manager that you fired only a few hours ago?" he shot back. "He could see how pig-headed we were all becoming and he wanted to show us why we got started in the first place. And you fired him because there weren't enough people or press at the venues? You can't talk to me about being conceited when you yourself are just as bad." I felt my throat dry and my breath catch in my throat. "And don't you dare say it's not the same thing when you fired a perfectly good manager when all he wanted was for us to 'get back down to Earth.' And on top of all that—"

"Axel, don't you dare go there." He ignored me.

"And on top of all that," he said slowly as he stood up, "you still hate that I can get any girl I want, even _yours._" I clenched my hands into fists so tight my knuckles turned white. Axel must have noticed because he continued gloating. "Oh, I'm sorry. Is that wound still sore? Get over her you prick. She cheated on you…with _me._ And she was pretty tasty."

That did it.

"You son of a bitch!" I screamed. I launched myself at him after that crack and started hitting anything that he wasn't blocking with his arms and calling him every profanity in the book. By the time Jim and Ryan arrived and intervened I'd already given Axel a split lip and a black eye. I would have done a lot more damage if Jim hadn't pulled me off him. He had to literally pull me off Axel because I had a tight grip on his t-shirt and showed no signs of letting go until I'd seriously disfigured his face or killed him (which, now that I think about it, was pretty dark for me). When Jim finally pried me away he had to pin my arms to my side and hold onto me tightly so I wouldn't be able to escape. When he deemed it safe, Axel slowly stood up and checked his face. As it turned out, I'd also broken his nose and it was bleeding profusely. He had blood down his face and shirt and I had some on my knuckles and face.

"Fuck you, you son of a bitch," he said.

"Fuck me? _Fuck me?_" I shouted at him. "You were the one who slept with _my_ girlfriend! What kind of friend would do that? Don't you have any shame? Any guilt? You've had this coming for a long time and you brought this on yourself!"

"But you brought _this_ on the whole band. I'm leaving for good, and think about this: Without me, there's no tour, no fans, no band. When I leave, you are all _finished!_ Good luck continuing without me!" He stormed off to his red Ferrari after that and left us; he even left behind his custom Les Paul.

"Is it really over?" Ryan asked. "Is he really gone this time?"

"I would definitely say so," Jim said, still holding me tightly. "I mean, you don't take a beating like that and come back willingly." He suddenly laughed and said between guffaws, "Did you see his face? That was so gross but awesome at the same time. I had no idea you had that in you Ricky."

"Don't call me that," I growled.

"That _was_ pretty epic, Rick," Ryan agreed.

"I still didn't know you had that in you," Jim said releasing me.

"There's a lot you don't know about me," I said under my breath.

"So, what do we do about the Bash?" Ryan asked. The Rejects had just finished their set and the crowd was definitely pumped, but there was no way in hell that I would go out there looking like I'd just killed someone, even though I nearly did.

"Well, while you guys think about that I'm going to clean Axel's blood off my hands."

"Literally," Ryan noted.

"Sweet," Jim laughed. I just rolled my eyes and walked into our trailer. When I saw myself in the mirror I barely recognized myself. My knuckles were bruised and scraped, there was blood on my face and my clothes, and I could still see the rage yet pleasure in my eyes from thoroughly kicking Axel's ass.

"This isn't you," I said to my reflection. I began to wash my face and realization slowly began to sink in. Axel was gone. He was really gone. I had finally let my hatred towards him rise to the surface but I had waited too long. I'd snapped and done the worst possible thing I could do: beat up my friend. Granted, he had willingly slept with my girlfriend—well, now my _ex_-girlfriend. But he wasn't my friend anymore; he wasn't anyone's friend. I was barely even myself anymore.

When I'd finally cleaned the last of the blood off my face and hands and changed into some clean clothes, I came back out to join Jim and Ryan who were still arguing about what to do.

"So, what's the verdict?" I asked.

"I think we're going to have to cancel the Bash," Jim said. "We don't have a back-up guitarist, Boothe is God knows where, and Axel has finally left for good. I know this isn't just one of his temper tantrums this time."

"Yeah. I can tell that too," I said. "So, what do we do now?"

A loud roar erupted from the crowd as they became more and more impatient.

"What are we going to tell them?" Ryan asked. "We can't disappoint our fans."

"I'm afraid we're gonna have to," I said. "I mean, we don't have a replacement so who would play? Me?" I said, trying to feign innocence.

"Yeah, man, 'cuz you suck," Jim snickered.

I gave him a look that said "Do you want me to beat you up too?" and he backed off. I never should have pretended to suck at guitar. Then this problem wouldn't have been a problem.

"I'm gonna have to go out there and cancel the Bash." I looked towards the stage and sighed. If there was one thing I hated most in the world, it was disappointing my fans, especially in my hometown.

"Good luck, man," Ryan said.

"Yeah, it was nice knowin' ya." Jim slapped me on the back and practically shoved me onstage.

**…::-::…**

~ Casey

When Judy, Eddie, and I arrived at the Bash, it was filled to the brim with spectators: there were people crowded around the stage, clambering onto the roof, and one poor soul had been dunked, upside down, in a basketball hoop. I hadn't come all that way to just watch Rick perform from afar, so I pushed and shoved my way closer to the stage. Suddenly, Rick walked onstage and I froze where I stood to cheer with the crowd, but we went dead silent when we realized he was the _only_ one.

"I'm sorry to have to tell this to everyone," he said, "but Axel just quit, and we don't have a replacement. I'm sorry, but we're gonna have to call off the Bash." We crowd began screaming and yelling again, this time with slews of profanities at Axel for ruining everything. Suddenly, Judy appeared beside me and started pulling on my arm and I followed her on instinct. I asked her what she was up to but her answer was drowned out by the crowd. When I noticed we were getting closer and closer to the stage I realized what she was going to do.

"Judy! You can't do this! I don't have the guts to perform for all these people! And Rick will see me! I'll get stage fright and suck! Judy? Judy!" My protests were in vain because Judy just pulled me onstage and placed me close to Rick (probably to make me even more nervous) and ran right up to the microphone. I barely heard what Judy was saying because I was too focused on being _thisclose_ with my idol and (not so secret) love.

"Ladies and gentlemen, rockers of all ages," Judy said loudly into the mic. "I know we're all mad at Axel for quitting at the last minute, but I have a solution. _They_ may not have a replacement guitarist, but _we_ do; our very own, Casey Lynch!"

"_WHAT? ME?_" I looked at Rick again who was looking at me with an intrigued expression. I didn't know if it was good or bad, but I continued to watch him as he watched Judy continue her speech.

"We all know how good she is," she continued. "We've had her play at birthday parties and celebrations, but we've never heard her true rocker potential. Now is the perfect opportunity! Are ya with me?" She raised a fist in the air when she finished her speech and we waited for the response.

The crowd cheered and screamed my name. My mouth fell open and it slowly dawned on me that I was still staring at Rick. He looked smug but confident as he slowly walked over to Ryan's mic and stood there grinning for a few moments.

"Look, I'd love to have you play for us," he began, prompting a few small whoops and boos from the crowd, "but you need to be properly tested first." He disappeared backstage for a few seconds and returned with Axel's signature Les Paul guitar. He handed it to me and said, "Tune it to your specifications, then play the first song that comes to mind."

I looked at him in shock, my brain trying to process all that was happening, but autopilot kicked in and I quickly went to work on the guitar. After tuning, adjusting the strap, and finally facing the crowd, I was ready. I froze for a second as I looked at the overwhelming crowd, but composed myself and turned to Rick and said, "You boys _might_ know this song, so play along if you do." He signaled for Jim and Ryan to join me and then I began to play the opening chords of Pat Benetar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot." Judy jumped down into the crowd so I could have the mic. I walked right up to it and started belting out the lyrics, surprising not only myself but also the boys.

**…::-::…**

~ Rick

After the blonde finished, she turned to me and smiled brightly. I smiled back and yelled, "Get this girl ready! We've found a replacement!" She grinned widely and was walked backstage to be turned into a real rocker. When she walked back onstage, she was the epitome of awesome. Her hair had been teased to perfection and her attitude seemed to reflect her sudden rocker makeover.

As we played through the gig, it was hard to imagine that Axel hadn't come back and was playing better than ever. This girl had some real talent (pun intended) and she began to really enjoy being onstage. She sang along, jumped all over the stage, and even played some impromptu solos. Needless to say we were all impressed, but we still needed to find a permanent replacement. It would be hell to tell this girl she was just the replacement, but we couldn't sign her on with the band before she had been properly tested. The rest of the tour would have to be postponed until a permanent replacement was found. Thankfully I knew just who to call to set up the competition.

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><p><strong>I started writing this about 4 years ago with too many revisions to count. So, with the help of my Fiction club on my college campus, I feel confident enough to submit this. I hope you all enjoy this first chapter and more will come soon!<strong>

**Love,**

** TSA**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok, so I'm very behind in updating this. But in all honesty, I feel like no one is reading this. I realize that Guitar Hero isn't as popular as _Harry Potter_ or maybe even _Warehouse 13,_ but I do still enjoy writing this and would appreciate some feedback (no matter how small). I don't mind constructive criticism as long as it doesn't come off as incredibly bitchy (I can be very sensitive when it comes to my writing as I'm not used to sharing it with others). So please Read & Review because when I know others are enjoying my jottings it makes me want to write more. So if you enjoy this story so far, please let me know!**

**Hope you have a great day!**

**Love,**

**TSA**

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><p>Chapter 2 – Behind the Scenes<p>

~ Casey

Playing with Real Talent was quite nerve-racking. I couldn't stop thinking about what was happening and that it was all _real._

_Oh my God! This is actually happening! I'm playing with my idols! If this is a dream this is the best dream ever! Crap! I just missed a note! Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap! Damn it! I missed another one! Damn I suck! Oh God. Rick and Ryan are looking at me like I'm stupid. Shit! Casey, Casey, calm down. Just relax. Pretend it's just you jamming with Judy and Eddie. Just like every day you all hang out. Okay, okay, I'm getting into the mindset. Just focus on the playing and relax. It's just you and Judy, jamming to your favorite Real Talent songs. Yes! I'm getting better! Hey! I just found my key to performing! Sweet!_

After I found my mindset, my playing picked up and I began playing like the rocker I knew I was and I started to truly perform. I was all over the stage; I couldn't stay in one spot for more than a few seconds at a time. I even began jumping up and down, singing along with the lyrics, and even played a few impromptu solos. I had so much fun onstage with the boys that the adrenaline rush kept me going through the whole set.

When we finished the set the crowd screamed for an encore. I was up to it thanks to my mind illusion, but I didn't know if the rest of the band was. We'd already played through the popular singles and much of the three albums and I could kinda tell it was taking its toll on everyone. But they agreed to do one more, for the fans' sake. While we rested for a minute we kept on shooting ideas at each other. Even the opening act, The All-American Rejects (whom I love and adore just as much as I do Real Talent), started shooting ideas back at us.

"'Miss Murder?' No! No! Uh, 'Psychobilly Freakout!' NO! NO! Uh, uh…" Ryan just kept on disagreeing with himself, while the rest of us just kept on disagreeing with each other.

The boys all got into a heated argument about what to play and threw temper tantrums when no one agreed with their offer. Well, Jim, Ryan, and Rick did. The guys from AAR seemed as calm as could be but with annoyed looks on their faces. I guess they'd had to put up with this before. I simply watched from the sidelines and waited for the most opportune moment to offer my suggestion. I was just shocked at how the boys acted backstage. I thought that they would be different but they were just like all the other vain celebrities who'd let the fame get to their heads. Finally, as the guys were all tired of throwing out suggestions to no avail, there was a lapse in the conversation and I saw my chance.

"I think we should play 'Rock 'n Roll All Nite,'" I finally said. The guys all looked at me almost as if they'd forgotten I was there. I took a step back from the prying eyes and continued. "It's the rock anthem that these people need. Plus it's the perfect closing to a great Bash."

Rick pondered my suggestion then said, "I…it's perfect! The ultimate rock anthem!"

"Yeah, great suggestion Casey. Come on guys, let's go before that crowd tears up the place!" Jim warned.

"Right," Rick said, standing up. "Come on, _Newbie_." He spat out the last word like it was vinegar. I didn't know what his problem was but something snapped in me and I said something that I regretted but that I hoped I would be proud of later.

"I have a name, you know," I heard myself say.

"Excuse me?" He turned and stared at me with an expression that was half anger and half curiosity.

"I said _I have a name, you know._"

"I know that, but for now you're _Newbie_ because you aren't permanent." My face fell and he noticed. "You did know you weren't a sure thing, right? We'll be having tryouts after this before the tour continues."

I didn't respond. I simply stared through him, seeing my perfect day crumble around me.

"Hey. Hey. You OK?"

"No, I'm not OK. Do I _look_ OK?" I snapped.

"Whoa. It's just a question. And what did you expect us to do? Just sign you on without at least trying to determine if you're the best bet?"

"In my naiveté, yes."

"Well, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but we have to at least test your abilities."

"Fine, but I'm telling you, I'll be the best." I smirked and he just rolled his eyes.

"That's what Axel said too, and look what happened to him."

"What _did_ happen to him?" They all looked at me as if I should have guessed by now. I actually saw Rick gulp and hide his hands behind his back, avoiding eye contact. I simply gestured for them to continue, wondering why Rick was suddenly so withdrawn.

"He quit, mainly because the fame had turned him into an airhead who was more focused on publicity and money than the music," Jim explained when no one else did, glancing at Rick as he did as if to make sure he didn't say something wrong or give anything away.

"Oh, you mean like what's happening to the rest of you?" I couldn't believe I just said that, but they needed to be brought down a peg. They all stared at me, then at each other, and then back to me. "You mean you don't see it? Oh my God! Then you really _are_ conceited. I can see it and I'm certain Tyson, Nick, Mike, and Chris can see it as well," I said pointing to the guys of AAR, respectively, who nodded and looked impressed that I knew all their names, not just Tyson's. Rick, Jim, and Ryan all looked at each other again and their reaction was the complete opposite of what I expected.

They burst out laughing.

"Um…what's so funny?"

"You!" Ryan said between giggle fits. "You're right you know? About us being so conceited and everything. We actually had that conversation when Axel left and we all agreed that we were becoming pig-headed and all that crap."

"I still don't know if this is a joke or if you're being serious." My blonde roots must have really been messing with me that day because nothing seemed to make sense.

"I guess you'll never know," Jim said. "Now, let's go out there and play a kick-ass encore before this place is burned down like last time."

"Last time? Wha—" I wanted to know more about the first time they played here, but we were all rushed back onstage before I got the chance.

**…::-::…**

~ Rick

After rocking out to our encore, Casey jumped offstage to find her friends. I took the opportunity to call Boothe, our main man to call in times of crisis. He was only our bus driver but he had bonded with everyone, making him the manager we wish we had. He was also like a father to us, keeping us in line when we got too rowdy.

"Yo! Ricky! What is up?" Boothe said in a gangsta tone.

"Boothe, stop trying to be hip, okay? You're too old to be trying to act like me."

"But dude! Check it! I sound totally boss, right?"

"No, dude. You sound like a fucking retard. Now, please, just act as normal as you possibly can for five minutes. I need a favor. We've hit a bit of a snag."

"Uh-oh. What happened this time, Rick?" Boothe's fatherly tone took over as soon as I mentioned trouble.

"Well, Axel just quit the band and—"

"Wow, he finally quit? What got him to do that?"

"Um…me," I admitted.

"Oh, Richard. What did you do?"

"I…uh…beat him up."

"_Say what?"_

"Yeah. He made a crack about him and Arianna, and I finally snapped. So…yeah."

"Wow. What did you do to him?"

"Gave him a shiner, split lip, and broken nose."

"No. Fucking. Way."

"Yeah, man. There was blood all over his shirt and even on me. It was epic."

"Wow. Just, wow. I cannot believe you finally did that to him."

"I know. It was about time, right?"

"Absolutely."

"Ok, so, back to the Bash. We found a handy temporary replacement from the audience after I kicked Axel's ass. The only thing is we can't sign her on without properly testing her first. Is there any way you can quickly set up a guitarist audition-slash-competition thing?"

"Wait, you found a female guitar player? Where are you guys?"

"Did you not hear anything I said after that?"

"Yes, you need me to set up guitar auditions. But who did you find? Where did you find this girl?"

"We're still in Arcadia, Boothe. Where the hell have you been lately? Have you been sneaking Ryan's 'medication'?"

"NO! Of course not! You know I'm not that stupid! I'm, like, the only professional in this band relationship. But if you're still in Arcadia—" He stopped mid-sentence and I heard him gasp in realization. "Rick. This girl you found. Describe her to me. I think I may know who she is."

"And how would you know that?" I asked, skeptical.

"I grew up in Arcadia. I used to watch over this one girl whose parents just weren't ready to be parents. Then, I would take her in when her mom went into one of her alcoholic fits after the divorce. It might be her. Just, describe her to me!"

"Um… Well, she has long blonde hair. Bright blue eyes. Tall for a girl, you know? Like, Ryan's height. And she came with this one really tall guy with spiked hair and a short girl with pink hair. Does that—"

"Oh my God! It's Casey! You found Casey! Dude! You had better sign her on, like, now! You will not find anyone better than her! Trust me!"

"Boothe, what are you talking about? Is this your babysitter girl?"

"Yes! Yes! That's her! Sign her Rick!"

"Boothe, I can't do that. Just set up the auditions and then we'll put her to the test. I just want to be sure she's as good as you and her friends say she is."

Boothe took in a deep breath, channeling his hyper-activity management teachings. "Okay, okay. That makes sense. I do agree with putting her to a test to be sure she can handle the pressure. I can set up the auditions in a gif. Where do you want them held?"

"Orlando? Somewhere close. We have to make those desperate people travel." I laughed almost evilly, but deep down I knew it was a joke. Boothe did too but he couldn't help adding his own little insult.

"Rick, I think you forgot to take your 'happy pills' this morning. You're starting to behave normally." He laughed evilly too and I just sighed and rolled my eyes. "Now, go take your meds and chill out. I'll take care of everything else. In the meantime, go talk with Casey."

"Wait… what? Talk to Casey? Why?"

"She'll love it. Trust me, I know this girl. She's the band's biggest fan."

"Um… Okay?"

Boothe hung up without another word. I just stared at my phone, dumbfounded. Why would I talk to Casey? I didn't even know the girl. She was a little creepy in fact. She was beautiful, but seemed like the stalker type. I just sat down on one of the futons backstage and thought about how I wanted things to work out. Casey was a good guitarist, but we couldn't sign her on without being properly tested. But if we found someone better, what would happen to her? I knew she'd be devastated, judging from her reaction last time. But how could I break it to her?

"Hey," a voice suddenly said from behind me. I jumped and spun around, clutching a hand to my chest. Casey stared back at me, her friends standing behind her. The short, pink haired girl looked giddier than I remembered. The guy just looked…bored.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," Casey snickered. I saw her cheeks flush and felt mine heat up as well. Her pink-haired friend giggled and started fidgeting. I glanced at Casey and nodded at her friend as if to say, "What's her problem?"

"She's just excited to meet you is all. Here." She held out a hand and blushed harder. I politely refused and stood up myself. She looked a little defeated, but quickly composed herself. "Rick, these are my best friends, Judy and Eddie." The pink haired girl grinned widely and waved. The guy gave a simple nod of recognition.

"Hello," I said.

"Hi Rick! I'm Judy!" Pinkie said quickly. "I, like, absolutely love the band and your music and everything. The concert was great! Would you sign something for me? Would you take a picture with me? Oh my God! I can't wait to tell my friends about this! Would you be willing to talk to them so I can gloat about this moment for years to come?" She whipped out her phone to call her friends but Casey snatched it from her before she could do anything.

Casey looked over at me apologetically and I gave her a baffled look. "Is she alright?" I asked.

"She's a little hyper. She can't handle caffeine very well and, despite my constant pestering, drank two two-liters of Mountain Dew during the concert. No thanks to Eddie, who was supposed to keep an eye on her."

"I did!" the guy finally said in his defense. "I watched over her like a hawk, just like you asked! But, just like a toddler, she managed to disappear and came back like that!" He gestured to Pinkie who was now having a shaking fit, probably from all the caffeine kicking in at once.

"Case, you know how I get at concerts. If I don't get some caffeine in my system I'll just fall asleep despite the loud music and the crowd."

"True, but next time try to contain yourself, alright?"

"What do you mean 'next time'?" I asked. Pinkie's squeal of delight made me take a step back as a precaution.

"Well, when I win that audition contest you're setting up, I figured I'd be able to snag some all-access passes for my friends. Then they can brag to the people back home that they know someone famous who knows other famous people." She smirked and crossed her arms as if to say, "Just try to prove me wrong."

"Okay, fine. You got me. But _if_ you win and she's still this crazy, she won't be seeing anyone for a while. We'll have to send you to caffeine rehab or something."

Pinkie nodded and squealed with laughter, probably thinking that was the funniest joke in the world simply because I was the one who told it.

"Okay, now that that awkward moment is done and over with…" Casey clasped her hands together and smiled at her friends. "Judy, Eddie, this is Rick. Rick, these are my best friends, Judy Nails and Eddie Knox."

I stepped out from behind the futon and Eddie came forward to shake my hand. Casey gave Pinkie a wavering glance, warning her to behave, and Pinkie calmly walked forward to shake my hand as well.

"I'm sorry about before. It's just…I…I love the band and your music and everything. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. You wouldn't believe how many times we've had to run away from crazy fans like you. Some are much worse, so don't worry about it." She smiled weakly and blushed again.

"So, would you be willing to take a picture or two with my crazed friends?" Casey asked. She held up a camera and smiled.

"Sure. Why not?" I smiled back. Pinkie squealed and even Eddie ran over, not even bothering to contain his excitement any longer.

"Hi Rick. I'm Eddie," he said, vigorously shaking my hand again. "I think the band is awesome and I love your music and the band is just awesome!"

"Thanks Eddie."

"Okay guys, smile!"

The first picture went off without a hitch, but then they each wanted their own picture with me. That was normal, but they wanted too many and I needed to draw the line.

"Hey, guys, why don't you let Casey be in a few?" I suggested, finally listening to Boothe's advice. Casey grinned and Pinkie squealed again. Casey gave the camera to Eddie and stood by my side. She blushed hard as I put my arm around her waist.

"I'm sorry about my friends," she whispered just as Eddie took the first picture.

"No, they're fine. Your pink haired friend is…fun, for lack of a better term."

"Well, Judy is a little over the top, I must admit. But that's why I hang out with her. I live in the moment with her. I don't even think about what we're doing, I just go along with it. She and I have had a lot of good times together."

"And Eddie? What about him?" Another flash.

"Oh, he's just our gay friend. Judy's been friends with him since grade school and he was her friend she took to the mall for an honest opinion when trying on clothes. Now he's that for both of us."

"Wait… Wait!" My eyes widened with shock just as Eddie snapped another picture. Great, that would be a fantastic photo. "Hold on! Eddie, just hold on for a second." Eddie paused and looked at Casey. I walked her a few feet away so her friends wouldn't eavesdrop. I then whispered to her, "Eddie's _gay?_ You could have warned me!"

Her face fell. "Rick, are you a homophobe?"

"Just a little. We haven't been bombarded by just crazed _female_ fans. Practically an entire gay community came up to us one day and just about took us hostage! I'm just a little wary of them now."

"Oh my God! Did everyone make it out alright?"

"We're all still here, aren't we? Well, minus Axel, but you get my point."

"True, quite true. But once bitten, twice shy. Am I right?" She smiled and laughed.

"Wait. If Eddie's gay, then why does your girl friend cling to him like they're dating?"

"Well, he hasn't exactly come out yet. And since he and Judy have been best friends forever, they decided it'd be the perfect cover. Judy was tired of all the lame guys hitting on her anyway, so a fake boyfriend was the perfect solution. And Eddie was being questioned by a lot of kids in school on why he'd never had a serious girlfriend, and Judy was there for him. It worked out perfectly for the both of them."

"That actually makes a lot of sense. But aren't you worried Judy might actually be falling for him?"

"No, of course not! Judy loves Eddie and Eddie loves Judy, but they're best friends and he could never reciprocate her feelings if she ever showed any. It's the perfect relationship in my opinion. Neither of them can have their hearts broken and the relationship is actually helping them bond. They're like Karen and Jack from _Will & Grace_." She gazed at her friends and waved. They hesitantly waved back.

"Well, that explains why he was trying to look bored earlier and then suddenly became as hyper as Judy."

"And now that you know, can we please go back to picture taking?"

"Of course," I smiled. She blushed and wrapped her arm around my waist. We faced the camera and smiled.

_Click._

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><p><strong>P.S. For those of you who are reading my <em>Harry Potter<em> story, a new chapter should be up by Saturday. That is the deadline I've set for myself, so let's see if I can make that happen!**


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